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Putnam County Film and Video Festival 2003


2003 Film Synopses

The Animated Century  92 mins            Feature Documentary

Adam Snyder - Producer/Director/Writer

Rembrandt Films

Fascinating compilation of different forms of animation which have been perfected over the last century.

Absolutely dazzling!

 

*"Four Deadly Reasons"            Narrative Feature

Paul Borghese

Director, Actor

Independent Images Inc.

A story about a man who believes in Love, Pride, Honor and Friendship.

All of which get him into trouble.  A crime drama with some comic relief ala The Sopranos…

 

9/11 In Memoriam 3:57            Industrial Film

Michael Sudyn - Producer/Editor

Diana Ritter - Director/Writer

The personal and professional journeys of two New York City doctors in the
year following 9/11. The opening event of TCT (Transcatheter Therapeutics)
an annual, international symposium in Washington, DC, attended by upwards of
6,000 cardiologists, the textured black and white film pays tribute to those
who lost their lives as it evokes iconic New York and the unflagging courage
of its inhabitants.

 

Glass - 15 mins             Documentary Short

Jeep Johnson - Director/Producer/Editor

Signature Productions

Artist Jeep Johnson explains and demonstrates his techniques of glass sculpture with his art crew - taped at Urban Glass
in Brooklyn.

 

Electric Vertebrae" 12:30          Experimental 

David Chontos

Rochester Institute of Technology

Director/Writer/Producer

"Computer Animation and film combine to create a dark journey through the multiple, simultaneous realities of a 19th
century asylum patient."

 

"Delayed"  103 mins                 Narrative Feature

Charles Ricciardi

Writer, Producer, Director

Torino Pictures

"After committing a hit and run in a small town, misguided trucker Greg Winters in forced to hide on the farm of older,
eccentric, religious widow Martha Thompson.  Trying desperately to evade the police, he unexpectedly gets involved in her life, befriending the widow and falling for her beautiful daughter."

 

"An Alternate Reality" 15:30                 Narrative  Short

Robert Bruzio

Producer: The Overself Company

"A lost and frightened soldier in the Korean War happens upon a mysterious stranger behind enemy lines. Together they
set out on a journey that leads to their hidden past…and possible future."

Written & Directed by Robert Celestino

Produced by Robert Bruzio, Richie Bee, Brian Smyj, Robert Celestino

 

"Soliloquy" 86:35          Narrative Feature

Jacques Zanetti

Writer/ Director/Producer

Inside and Out Film Company

"Leah, an opera singer, en route to a world tour of Verdi's AIDA, is side tracked by the resurgence of a dramatic episode
of her life, her past; and turns to the future with new hopes and renewed expectations."

 

Lucy at the Circus  56:40          Children's Program - Mixed Form

Michael Sudyn - Producer/Editor

Diana Ritter - Director/Writer

Flying Dreams Inc

The story of a young girl whose first ever visit to the circus becomes a
magical fantasy of performing under the Big Top. Mixing both narrative and
documentary styles to capture the nomadic, fiercely independent life of the
circus, the film brings a child's point of view to the thrill of performing
and the hard work and dedication that lie behind it.

 

"The Tenement" 2 hours            Feature Length Horror

Glen Baisley Writer/Director/Producer

Light & Dark Productions

"Four Story horror anthology based around a seedy tenement building. The Tenement - where innocence ends, and
nightmares begin. Four stories, four lives forever changed."

 

"History of the West Point Foundry and the Putnam Valley Iron Mines" 1 hour   Cable TV talk show

Marie Zarcone, Producer

PVERCorp

Guests Historian Sallie Sypher and Putnam County Legislator Sam Oliverio share historical stories about how iron was
mined in Putnam Valley, prepared and converted into firearms for the war.  Features rare historical maps.

 

"Peers Influence Peers IX" 60 mins - Public Service Program

Frank Reale      Producer

60 mins

"This prevention effort was aired this April throughout the country to a potential 50 million people by cable public access channels, Public Broadcasting Stations, public high schools, colleges, housing authorities.  In addition it will air this fall as
part of a series on WNET Channel 13.

This is a combined effort of thirty youths from 6 different local high schools, youth from Texas and Pennsylvania and the
adult advisors: Frank Reale, Patricia Cassio and Buck Heller.

 

"Stranger in Prague" 5 minutes            Narrative Short

Christopher D'Elia

A Christopher D'Elia & Michael Klein Film

Producer/Director Films

"An American tourist gets chased through the streets of Prague.  This short film, directed by Christopher D'Elia and Michael Klein of Dobre' Films, was shot entirely on location in The Czech Republic and took only 12 hours to both shoot and edit to completion."

 

9/11 Peace - 4 mins      Experimental

Jeep Johnson - Director/Producer/Editor

Signature Productions

  

"PV Middle School Blood Drive" 2 mins           Public Service Announcement

YOUTH ENTRY

Ian Cummings

Director/Producer/Actor/Writer

"This highly effective Public Service Announcement was recorded with a Hi-8 camera, a pause button and lots of
costume changes."

 

"Crossing" 8:45           Narrative short

Riccardo Costa                                                                                   

Blitz Ent Inc.

"We live our lives having perceptions that we don’t understand. Reality offers different shapes of itself and toys with it. 
Further proof that man doesn't control his life even if he tries. 

Cass seems happy and fine as his life when he walks a Manhattan block.  Then he starts meeting all the people that
matter most in his life: his girlfriend, his mother, his uncle, his friend, etc…something weird is going on, he will realize it
only after he crosses the end at the beginning."

 

"If Spielberg Made a Snuff Film"   15:30           Narrative (comedy/satire)

Todd McCammon & Linda K. Moroney

Co-Director/Co-Producer

Low to the ground Prod.

"IF SPIELBERG MADE A SNUFF FILM is not just the provocative title given this satirical short film; in lower cases, it's the premise."

 

Location/Intersection - 3 mins   Industrial - Art Installation

Jeep Johnson - Director/Producer/Editor

Signature Productions

914-474-5173

An Art Installation piece, designed to run as a continuous loop.

 

When Is My Time Up - 4 mins            Experimental

Jeep Johnson - Director/Producer/Editor

Signature Productions

Director Jeep Johnson uses moving images of himself as a child to reflect on his own mortality.

 

"The Best Thanksgiving Ever"  8 mins            Narrative Comedy Short

Jim Bernfield

Writer/Director/Producer

"Another holiday at the cousins' house? Twelve year-old Andrew takes on his obnoxious family as he caroms from
childhood to puberty one hectic Thanksgiving Day."

 

Still Running/Into Woods/My Path - 15 mins     Experimental

Jeep Johnson - Director/Producer/Editor

Signature Productions

A trilogy of introspective experimental shorts, done in black and white.

 

"The Halocline" 19 mins            Narrative

DC Barns & Kevin Wade

Writer/director; graphics supervisor

"The Halocline is a short film about being lost, about being blind, about searching for one's sight, and about broken
promises."

 

"7734"  6 mins            Narrative

Jennifer Lamaj

"After a car wreck, a man finds himself trying to escape demons hunting him in a hospital. To get out he must confront his
inner demons."

 

"Dystopia" 23 mins       Narrative Short

Steven Nasrawy

Producer/Writer/Director/Editor

Unicorn Pictures

"While planning their wedding, a couple living in New York City experience the greatest tragedy that will forever change
their lives."

 

"Cold Storage: The ConSci Chronicles" 59 mins            Sci-Fi or Horror

ImagEnhancement Pictures

Robert M. DeBellis & Victor Ortega Director (RMD); Producer (VO)

"Michael Terrance searches the cyber -noir streets of Neo-Terra for lost love Zara whose body parts are currently on the
black market."

 

"Spot"  31 minutes                    Narrative Short

Caroline Treadwell, Producer/Director: Trapezium

"A hapless composer is sent on a mission to find 'the perfect fart' for a commercial.  His fortunes change when he
encounters 'the professional.'

 

"City Lights" 5 minutes            Music Video

Paula Zimmerman-Taylor - Producer/Director/Editor: Jo Sea Enterprises

"City Lights is an experimental short, a visual study of Times Square at night, st to a pop-jazz song composed and sung by Tom Monte, veteran café performer."

 

"Human Nature: Signs/Déjà vu/Visions"            Experimental

Maggie Chesnut -

Submitted by her mom :Ann M. Chesnut

"Human Nature is a three-part experimental digital video shot entirely by students at the Garrison Art Center's Summer Art Institute and Dutchess Community College."

 

"Hair of the Dog" 44:49            Narrative Short

Sean McGinn Director of Photography/Exec. Producer

Timothy David Clark & Manta Ray Pictures

"A defense attorney awakens with a black eye and tries to piece together the
unsettling flashbacks from the previous night. When he sifts through the
after-party remains at his best friend's estate, more disturbing clues are
revealed, a sexy and mysterious woman surfaces and the truth rears its ugly
head."

 

Araca La Cana  5 mins            Experimental

Ann McGowan - Producer

"Is this what they are thinking and feeling? As a couple performs Argentine Tango in a palace in Spain, erotic images
intrude."

 

"Mike Blooman" 4:45               Public Service Announcement

Frank Reale -Advisor: Peers Partnership

A special marijuana prevention effort produced by the Peers Partnership for the Elks national Durg Awareness Program. 
It will air across the country to youth groups.  Starring Brendan Bergquist & Gary Novak; Voice Over by Matt Cuomo, a sophomore at PVHS; Edited by Erik Raab, a recent graduate from Walter Panas HS, & Written by Roman Shurp, recent graduate from Yorktown High School.

 

"Romeo & Juliet Act 3 Scene 1" 6:24            Narrative - Student Entry

Vinny Grippi - Producer/Director

"This was a Video Productions class project for students at Putnam Valley High School.  This was their first year in video productions.  Starring Andrew Haspel, Nick Pulcini, Gaetano Vetrone & Matt Faerone. Edited by Sergei Doty; assistant
editor Andrew Haspel. Produced and directed by Vinny Grippi who is an attendee of NY Film Academy.

 

"Coulrophobia" 7 mins            Horror Short

Kirk S. Patinioti

Director/Writer/Editor/Actor

"A man goes through a series of dreams where a clown terrorizes him.  He awakens to find out that one has kidnapped him."

 

"Snapshots" 8 mins             Narrative (Experimental)

Rachael Saltzman

Producer/Writer/Director/DP/Editor

"Reality is not what it seems for one man terminally in love."

 

"Wedding Nigun for Boruch and Menucha"" 5:30             Experimental

Neil Needleman

"Prayer sets the pulse of this video as we see a soon-to-be married Hassidic man swaying back and forth.  All other shots are either this length (one second), two second or 1/2 second. The "repetitive motion" of the cuts corresponds to the opening
prayer and as layers of images pile up in counterpoint, we are taken on a frenetic and joyous ride through the Hassidic
wedding party."

 

Alphabet of the Dead  5 mins                Narrative/Experimental

Mary Crescenzo and Steven Worthy

Mary - word & editing; Steve - Video & Editing

A study on the 9/11 disaster.

 

"The Swordsman" 31 mins        Horror short

Richard T. Saraceno

Writer, Producer, Actor, Editor, Cinematographer

Ambush Pictures

"The Swordsman" is about a man (Nance Burns) who faces the peril of a psychotic monster unleashed in the town of
Frankfort Illinois by an unknown figure."

 

"The Accident" 5:12                  Horror Short

Adam Rettek

Director/Writer/Editor

Contraband Productions

"A man hits a drunken person with their car. After the man gets rid of the body the drunk comes back to life for revenge."

 

*"Little Heroes" 26 minutes       Documentary - (Exhibition Only)

Maryann Arrien

Director/Camerawoman/Editor

A piece about a CYO Camp in Putnam Valley that helps youth who have been traumatized by 9/11 by offering them
challenge & adventure tasks to help them face their fears.  Narrated by Jeffrey Rumpf.

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Last modified: 09/30/07